Chess Olympiad torch handed to Javokhir Sindarov ahead of Samarkand games

Javokhir Sindarov received the ceremonial torch bearing the Olympiad flame from FIDE Interim President Viswanathan Anand and All India Chess Federation president Nitin Narang in Samarkand as the official countdown to the Chess Olympiad 2026 got under way ahead of the tournament running from September 15 to 27.

The handover took place as organisers prepared to host the world’s top teams for the Chess Olympiad, described in the source material as the most prestigious team competition, and comes with Sindarov identified as the Candidates 2026 winner and the leading Uzbek player.

FIDE initiated the Chess Olympiad Torch Ceremony in 2022, modelled on the Olympic flame, to celebrate the global reach of the sport and to build excitement for the competition; the ceremonial flame was carried to Samarkand for this edition.

“The Chess Olympiad Torch is a powerful symbol of how the game connects nations and generations. Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi began this tradition in India in 2022, and it is special to see the flame now travel from India, the game’s birthplace, to Uzbekistan, two nations with a deep and growing chess culture. We wish Javokhir Sindarov and Uzbekistan the very best as Samarkand prepares to welcome the chess world,” said Nitin Narang, President, All India Chess Federation.

FIDE Interim President Viswanathan Anand and AICF president Nitin Narang were the officials who presented the torch to Sindarov during the ceremony that marked the official countdown to the event.

India enter the Olympiad as the defending champions in both the open and women’s categories and, according to the source, are favourites to defend their titles.

The Chess Olympiad 2026 will be held in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, from September 15-27.